The Shoalhaven Business Chamber's Women's Conference 2019 was a full house on Wednesday, May 22.
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The organising committee - all women - co-ordinated a vibrant networking event, packed with women at all levels in business - including some tiny entrepreneurs-to-be.
Four local women spoke alongside guest speaker Jo Burston from Inspiring Rare Birds.
Jo is an award-winning leader, serial entrepreneur and speaker who is recognised as one of Australia's top entrepreneurs.
She is the founder and CEO of Inspiring Rare Birds which promotes opportunity for women in entrepreneurship and has a vision to inspire one million more women entrepreneurs globally by 2020.
She said one of the biggest obstacles for women in business was fear - and that taking pride in their goals and achievements was one antidote.
A strong support system was another.
"The journey is long and really hard - beleive in her, have her back," she said.
"Be therre in the moments when she's sitting in the corner crying, but also pour the glass of champagne for her when she does celebrate and make a big deal out of her."
She said supporting women in business just made sense.
"Women reinvest 90 cents in each dollar back into the wellness, education and health of their children," she said.
"They also give back at a greater level to the community as a whole.
"Men reinvest about 40 cents in the dollar.
"When women are financially independent and empowered there is less reliance on social welfare systems, and their children prosper."
